I disagree. I recently designed and implemented virtualized image servers (real ones coming once the Requisition request comes through) for faster image serving

I disagree. I recently designed and implemented virtualized image servers (real ones coming once the Requisition request comes through) for faster image serving. This was basically unheard of by anyone I work with however by having read the http specs I was able to give a report on why we wanted to serve images in parallel. It's easy to dismiss Web Developers as (X)HTML/CSS, Javascript & Php. In reality there are FAR, FAR, FAR more uses for programming competent Web Developers. Shoot, even having a good grasp of fundamental Computer Science helps with understanding Php's array's (or lack-thereof ;) ). Now for practical usage? Sure Assembly is probably a waste of time. I still haven't found a real way to implement that wouldn't be. But the fundamental understanding of how a computer works, how decisions are made so close to the machine enhanced my understanding about programming which in turn enhanced my understanding about how I wanted to develop and engineer, even for the web. My .02 cents anyway.